Flying machine



F. A. MENG FLYING MACHINE sept. 13, 1932.

s sheets-'sheet 1 Filed Sept. 24, 1931 abtmm q Spt. 13, 1932. F, A MNG1,877,003

FLYING MACHINE Filed Sept. 24, 1931 5 ShetS-Sheet 2 FLYING vMACHINEFiled Sept. 24, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Sept. 13, 1932 1FREDERICK AQVMENG, or nitiuuaxoiaiv, MICHIGAN 'l :FLYING MACHINE"Application filed ySeptember 24, 1931. Serial No.` 564,868.

This invention relates to a flying machine and generally aims to provideAa construction of flying machine disclosed in Letters Patent 1,229,114.issued to Frederick A. Meng, et al.,

i'. "l J une 5,1917.

1 said end unit of Figure'4,

v 1t is particularly aimed to provide `a novel construction wherein thevarious controls are replaced for electric rather than'manual operation.

It isyalso aimedto provide a novel ground gear enabling the machine toland without the usual landingcrew and such a gear` as will .'permit.the machine to travel .on the ground. Y

The more specic objects and advantages will become apparentfromaeonsideration of the description following taken lin connec- -tionwith accompanying draw-ings illustratrfmfing an operative embodiment. v

1'Insaid drawingsz-- Y. I Figure 1 is a view of the airship 1n sideelevation, ivv 1 1 Figure 2 -1s -afront endvizew of the `airship,

' Figure 3 is a crossfsection taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 1,

.A Figure 4 is an enlargedplan view of .one

:of the-end propeller-units, v Y. Y Figure 5. is va front elevation ofthe unit of Figure4, Figure 6 is an enlarged side elevation of Figure 7is a sectional line 7-7of Figure 1,

Figure 8 is van enlarged side elevation ,of

a portion ofthe front landing gear,

` Figure 9 is an enlargedrtransverse sectional detail illustrating themounting anddrivind ofthe side or,liftingfpropellers, j

lFigure 10 is anv endelevation-of the drive Iused in connection withAthe side propellers, vand` v v l Figure 11 isa detail in plan of part ofthe 'mounting` of -one ofthe side motors.

the balloon or lighter 'Referring specificallyU to the-drawings, 10

generally designates the airship, which :preferably has a gas bag at 11whereby Tit is of bag 11V may be .of ,any suitable construction, shapeand details but preferably-has lateral passages at 12, a verticalpassage at 13, and

'lysupport hoods 24, having. ground detail taken on the f 36 manner onthe shaft 37 of such motor. Rigid l segment. 38, being than air type.*The a transverse ypassage at 14, enabling communication vbetween thevarious portions of the airship and access to the variouscontrols. lhecabin carried by the 'bag 11 is shown at A plurality of front frameworkarel provided as at 16,. fastenedin any suitable manner to the structureof thebag and carrying vertical cylinders 17 having cushioning springs18y therein. v4Movable against .the action of they springs 18, arerodsor pistons 19, telescoped inthe .casings 17, Y and vcarrying hoodsor the like at 2Q, having ground wheels 21 -pivotedv thereto4 as at 22.Preferably jthree `of the ground whee1ls21 and coacting supports areused as shownin Figure 2.

i -Adjacent the rear ofthe bagll, two.' framework 23 are preferablyprovided which rigid- Y Wheels 25 secured toshafts 26 fastened to thehoods.H

- Thewhe'elsenable theairship to travel over Vrthe land and alsotoalight without the necessity of employing ,a landing 'crew as isnecessary at the present time. Y l.

To enable theflast mentioned result to be novel system of propellerswhich'are operable to maintain.` the wheels 21 and 25 in contact withthe groundand not lin flight. v

At the front and rear vof the'bag 11, :nose

the framework of such bagQ vertically journaled in arms 28 of thenosevmounting s,`is a-rotatable shaft 29 o-n which is journaled, thespaced `arms 30 and l31, of abracket 32.`

[Bracket 32 has a ybracket, pivotally bolted thereto as at 34 and itextends from a driving motor35, for an yadj acent end propeller thelatter being fastened in any suitable V.with the 'motor' `35 andlbracket 33, isa gear a worm wheel, and in mesh .with-a worm portion 39of the shaft 29. The

bracket 32 also carries imitarily therewith, an electric motor 40, whoseshaft has `a sprocket wheelthereon drivinga sprocketchain 41, geared tothesh.aft 29. Thus when the motor 40 is in operation, worm39 and wormWheel 38 effect swinging movement ofthe motor ,and-end .propeller from ahorizont-alaxis 34. f

realized the' bag or ship isequipped with a or cap mountings 27 aresuitably secured to At the same time, each of said end propellers 36 maybe moved laterally to either side. To this end, bracket arm 31 has aworm wheel 42 formed thereon, with which .a worm 43, suitably journaledon the nose mounting 27, meshes, such worm being in turn driven by asprocket chain 44 meshing with a sprocket wheel 45, such chain beingdriven by a sprocket wheel 46, on the shaft of an electric motor 47. Itwill be realized that the motors and 47 are operated at different times,

either when the motor 85 is in operation or idle, as the case may be.

It will be realized that while'one of the.

i substantially in a straight vertical path or at a right angle to theground. The pro-- pellers of such units 48 are designated 49 and drivenby electric motorsO.' Theelectric motors 50 are rigidly carried byshafts 51, journaled in suitable bearings at 52 and 53,

pro-vided on the framework of the machine. f VThrough the movement ofshafts 51, the angle of the motors 50 and accordingly of the prolpellers49 may be shifted according to the desires of the pilot. Rigid onshafts51 are worin wheel segments 55, in mesh with worms 56 journaled inbearings 57 of the casings of electric motors 58. Such motors 58 drivesprocket chains 59 which .are trained over Vsprockets 60 keyed to theworms 56. The electric motors 58 are operated of course onl whenldesired, under `suitable switch contro either individually, those ofeach side of the airship in groups, or all of them simultaneously, aspreferred. The operation of the motors 58, cause the rotation of theshafts 51 and variation of the angle of motors 50 and ofthe propellers49.

The machine is driven and steered over the ground independently of thepropellers described and when the same are not in operation. Toaccomplish this result, a propeller is shown at 62 driven by an electricmotor 63 having a bracket 64 whereby it is journaled on .an upstandingshaft 65 of the central frame 16. Also rigid with the motor casing 63and iournaled on the shaft 65 is a worm wheel 66'. A bracket 67, rigidon shaft 65 has a shaft 68 j ournaled therein provided with a wormportion at 69 in mesh with the Q wheel 66. IJVorm shaft 69 is drivenfrom an electric motor 70, through the medium of chain and sprocketgearing at 7l, suitably mounted on the adjacent framework 16. As

moved laterally to either side when desired, the motor 70 being operatedindependently of the motor 63 and while itis in operation or yidle asthe case may be.

Suitable electricity generating units may be provided at 7.0, beingmounted for instance on the framework 23, .such generators serving togenerate sufficient electricity for the purpose of operating the variousmotors of the airship or apparatus used in connection therewith.Obviously the electric energy may be supplied from batteries or in .anydesired manner.

, Various changes may be resorted to provided they fall within thespirit and scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention :e-

1. An airship comprising al bag, propellers at front and rear thereof,side propellers, frameworks depending from the bag, wheels carried bythe frameworks, a propelling unit carried by one of the frameworksadapted for operation when the wheel means are engaged with the ground,the last mentionedr framework having an upright, the propelling meansbeing j ournaled thereon, a casing carried by the upright, a cushioningspring in the casing, and the ground wheel means having a portion incushioning engagement with the spring. Y

2. In an airship, a propeller unit comprising-amounting body, a wormshaft jou-rnaled on said body, a bracket journaled on said shaft, a gearon said bracket, a motor on said bracket, a propeller-driving motorpivoted to the bracket and having a gear in mesh'with said worm, adriving connection from the first mentioned motor to the worm, and meanscarried by the body operable to drive the i'irst mentioned gear. v

3. In an airship, a driving unit comprising a mounting body attachableto the nose of a bag, said body having spaced arms, a shaft j ournaledin said arms, a bracket journaled on said shaft said bracket having agear thereon v and a motor, a driving connection from the motor to saidshaft, a motor carried by the bracket having a driving connection withthe said gear, a propeller-driving motor pivoted to the bracket, anddriving gear means between the last mentioned motor and said shaft. 'i

4. In an airship,a frame having` members disposed in diverging relation,a motor secured on one of said members, a bracket connected to the otherof said members, a shaft journaled on said bracket and drivenbyv saidmotor, a propeller-driving motor journaled on the other of said members,and a driving connection between said shaft and said motor, operable tovary the position of the latter.

In testimony whereof I aliiX my signature.

FREDERICK A. MENG.

a result, the motor 63 and propeller 62 may be y

